Horses, Boats, and a Hug

A ride in a horse-drawn carriage and a cruise on the river , are popular and romantic ways to view a city like Prague. It is not for everyone though. Me, for instance, I'm rather shy, and the ride in a carriage is not for shy people; the glances and turning of heads of the passers-by might be embarassing.

ride in a horse-drawn carriage

As for a cruise, I'm not on very good terms with boats and ships. For some reason, I feel rather unwell on vessels. I've promised myself to 'work on it' , but there always seems to be something more important on my agenda. Pity!

Anyway, a cruise on the Vltava river offering spectacular views of its bridges (Karl bridge the most famous among them) and the landscape around including the Castle complex, The National Theatre, and more , is I suppose, a lifetime experience. I've noticed all kinds of boats there and the possibility of various tours according to duration, price, luxuries.

evening on the Quay; there are also night cruises

On Petrin Hill, they offer assisted rides on horses and ponies. Near the funicular terminal, there's a sculpture (mentioned by me in a previous post) showing an embrace between a man and woman (both naked). Two little ones , brother and sister, were intensely looking at it, giggling and discussing it. I wished I could understand the language. Perhaps I could have learnt something ...'out of the mouths of babes'. Sometimes kids surprise us with their wisdom and their mature understanding .

The father got angry with their interest in the statue, so he put them on a horse to keep them away from it. A horse- ride is not cheap, but then education does cost money.

horse riding on Petrin Hill

Prague at first sight

Last week I was in Prague (the capital of the Czeck Republic). That's a lovely city with very impressive architecture and lots of attractions.
The weather was cold (especially in the area of the famous Vltava river), but the sky was clear and even sunny at times, and this was good for walking around and taking pictures.

Most of the locals don't know English or any other major language . If a foreigner enters a store to buy something, both the salesperson and the customer get irritated as they have no common language. In this respect, Prague is not a friendly city. Driving is crazy here, and it's really dangerous to cross a street with all its tram lines and very few, if at all, traffic signs.

There are some love-sculptures in public places that are a delight to look at. Two such sculptures caught my eye in particular. One is placed in front of the Intercontinental Hotel ( a few steps from the Vltava), another, on the Petrin Hill (which offers a panoramic view of the city).

In the very center of the city, at the entrance of a book shop - a poster of Madeleine Albright (Albrightova, in the czech language). It seems that the Prague-born former USA Secretary of State is loved and admired here.

I can't remember anything specific about her as a Secretary of State. I think I will remember though, the present one, Hillary Clinton, for the fact that although she couldn't keep an eye on her husband, she thought she could keep an eye on the World.